King George V school in Nevinson Avenue, South Shields, was closed at Easter last year, and pupils were transferred to the Brinkburn School site in McAnany Avenue, where it was renamed South Shields Community College.

A new school will be built on the former King George site under the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme, but at the moment the shell of the building remains. An officer's report says work on the demolition and construction on the site will begin this year, and is due for completion in 2011.

But Whiteleas councillor Ernest Gibson said: "Some children will have spent four of their five secondary school years in a temporary building. That can't be right.

"I hear complaints from Holder House residents that young people are congregating in the grounds now it's empty. There's also been reports of vandalism."

But security patrols are in force at the site to deter the vandals.

The council's Cabinet made the decision in 2005 to close Brinkburn and King George V comprehensive schools.

The decision included the operation of the schools on the existing sites until the end of the summer term 2007, and the use of the Brinkburn site for the new school from September 2007, until a new building, on the King George V site, is available.

During the summer of 2007, extensive alteration work and provision of additional classroom took place at the Brinkburn site, at McAnany Avenue, to allow pupils from both schools to be together in a single location.

The Local Education Partnership is involved in design engagement sessions with South Shields Community School until next month.

Following this, the application for planning permission will be submitted.

The buildings forming the old King George V Comprehensive School were cleared during July and August 2007, and all that remains is the external shell of the building and internal walls.

South Tyneside is in Wave 1 of the overall BSF programme, which will see more than £180m invested in seven secondary schools over the next five years.